Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), chair of the Judiciary Committee that will mark up any House legislation on the issue, told NPR this week that he will not support a bill that eventually grants citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in America.

“People have a pathway to citizenship right now: It’s to abide by the immigration laws, and if they have a family relationship, if they have a job skill that allows them to do that, they can obtain citizenship,” Goodlatte said. “But simply someone who broke the law, came here, [to] say, ‘I’ll give you citizenship now,’ that I don’t think is going to happen.”

***

Key senators are exploring an immigration bill that would force every U.S. worker—citizen or not—to carry a high-tech identity card that could use fingerprints or other personal markers to prove a person’s legal eligibility to work…

“I subscribe to the ‘if you build it, they will come’ school of regulation,” said Chris Calabrese of the American Civil Liberties Union, who said he worried that the card would be required to board airplanes, to vote or perhaps purchase a firearm. “It becomes in essence a permission slip to do all of the ordinary things that are your rights as an American,” he said.

Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration-policy expert at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, said: “It’s not only a gross violation of individual privacy, it’s an enormously high-cost policy that will have an incredibly low to negligible benefit.”

***

“I’m not optimistic about common sense immigration reform passing this Congress,” Cruz said during a speech at the Dallas Texas Tool & Die company. “I don’t believe President Obama wants an immigration bill to pass, instead I think he wants a political issue. His objective is to push so much on the table that he forces Republicans walk away from the table because then he wants to use that issue in 2014 and 2016 as a divisive wedge issue.”…

“The president has been focusing on amnesty, a path to citizenship that skips ahead of the line,” Cruz said. “That, he knows, is a position not supported by a great many Americans and not a position that will achieve bi-partisan cooperation. It’s designed to scuttle the bill.”

***

[O]n the single most important issue — instant amnesty — there is no real difference between the proposals.

Rubio calls it “probationary legal status.” Obama uses the term “lawful prospective immigrant.” But both would instantly legalize the 11 million illegal immigrants living here today. The moment either bill is signed, the 11 million become eligible for legal residence, the right to work, and relief from the prospect of deportation.

Their life in the shadows is over, which is what matters to them above all. Call the status probationary or prospective, but, in reality, it is permanent. There is no conceivable circumstance (short of criminality) under which the instant legalization would be revoked.

This is bad policy. It repeats the 1986 immigration reform that legalized (the then) 3 million while promising border enforcement — which was never carried out. Which opened the door to today’s 11 million. And to the next 11 million as soon as the ink is dry on this reform…

Regrettably, there appears to be zero political will to undertake this kind of definitive solution. Democrats have little real interest in border enforcement. They see a rising Hispanic population as the key to a permanent Democratic majority. And Republicans are so panicked by last year’s loss of the Hispanic vote by 44 points that they have conceded instant legalization, as in the Rubio proposal.

***

Amnesty never shows up in polls as a top concern of Hispanics. It’s a top concern of employers, not workers — which isn’t going to do much to help Republicans shed that “Party of the Rich” image. After Reagan signed an amnesty bill in 1986, unemployment among Hispanics skyrocketed when, suddenly, there was increased competition for low-skill jobs. That’s precisely why businesses want amnesty, not because of their deep concern for the plight of the underclass…

So why do Hispanics vote Democratic? Like most legal immigrants since Teddy Kennedy’s 1965 Immigration Act, Hispanic immigrants are poor. The poverty rate of second-generation Hispanics is lower than the first — but the third generation’s poverty rate is higher than the second…

This isn’t because of a failure to “reach out.” Republicans can’t beat Democrats at the government assistance game. From single mothers to corporate subsidy-takers, they want your money and the Democrats promise to give it to them.

***

Understanding English is supposedly a precondition for gaining U.S. citizenship. Why, then, is it even necessary for politicians to address voters in Spanish? Either their English skills are not what we have been led to believe, or they simply prefer to use Spanish. Neither possibility is reassuring.

There appears to be no similar stampede of candidates, including Hispanic politicians, beating down the doors of Chinese or Korean Berlitz schools to communicate better with their Asian constituents. The assumption is: Asians and other immigrants will learn English; Hispanics, on the other hand, need to be reached in Spanish. The relative size of the various populations is no excuse: if using someone’s native or legacy language is appropriate and respectful for one language group, why shouldn’t the practice extend to all groups?…

Pro-amnesty conservatives regularly assert that assimilation is proceeding wonderfully, because most second- and third-generation Hispanics allegedly understand English. Is Spanish spreading, then, because the arrival of even more immigrants speaking only Spanish overwhelms this progress, or because Hispanic-Americans themselves prefer Spanish? Again, neither possibility is reassuring…

Conservatives have traditionally stressed the unum rather than the pluribus in our national motto (which originally referred to the unification of the states into a single nation, not to our contemporary notion of “diversity”). If the reality on the ground looks more and more like “E pluribus duo,” shouldn’t we care?

***

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, one of a handful of Senators who have been working on bipartisan legislation on immigration, has already floated the possibility of walking away from the negotiating table if the terms of a deal aren’t acceptable. The political risks of leaving the issue unresolved are significant for a party that won just one in four Hispanic voters in 2012. If the negotiations broke off permanently, Republicans would have to quickly embark on a public relations campaign blaming Obama for making unreasonable demands and playing politics with the issue. (And, yes, that sound a lot like what Cruz is doing right now.) Winning a message battle on immigration could be complicated by some of the louder voices — Iowa Rep. Steve King, for example — who are long time opponents of any sort of immigration compromise…

Rubio — and other smart party strategists — know that if a deal can’t be reached on immigration, Republicans’ chances of winning the White House in 2016 decrease…

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He blamed Republicans for blocking “comprehensive amnesty” in his first term, but he had a filibuster-proof Senate and a clear majority in Pelosi’s House for 8 months!!! He could have passed ANYTHING — like Cap and Trade, full amnesty, etc. — but he didn’t!! (Thank goodness).

The Menendez scandal is a classic example. Whenever a mike is shoved into a pub senators, he should rant and rave about how Menendez’ actions have lowered the dignity. Only then should he answer the quest by the interviewer. The MSM tries its best to ignore the scandal. If the GOP wants to get through to the regular Joe and Jane, every pub senator should follow that routine. Thats how it becomes a nation wide. IMO

It sometimes reminds me of the mindset in a book like Night (by Elie Wiesel). Not to compare what we are going through to the Holocaust. I’m talking about what happens to most people when they are frightened–truly frightened–and feel they have been abandoned. They begin to look out only for themselves.

Again, it’s a different situation, but the mindset seems to me to be apparent in many voters.

Sheesh, I’m tired, so not doing a good job of expressing myself here. Sorry.

I’ve got to run, but one last thing. Don’t let education slip under your radar. Amnesty is a huge issue, but I’m not as concerned about ‘global warming’ it’s been so debunked, but education has been Obama’s stealth move for control. Education has always been the progressives’ Trojan horse.

Common Core is part of an effort to implement regionalism, the replacement of local governments by regional boards of federally appointed bureaucrats, who in turn are beholden to international bodies. Regionalism will eliminate the freedom parents now have in choosing neighborhoods with good schools because tax funds will be distributed equally. There will be no escape in home schooling or private schools either, because the curriculum will follow national tests. Students will be tracked through mandatory state records that will then be accessible to Washington bureaucrats. Ultimately, all students will be subject to education mandates implemented by Obama’s radical cronies.

Linda Darling-Hammond, an education left-wing colleague of Bill Ayers (remember him?), has been busy working on Common Core.

There are 3 federal laws against nationalized curriculum and educational control they’re skirting. There’s a federal law about no national databases they’re skirting.

Yes, maybe someone needs to give an Orientation Class to all the Repubs on Capitol Hill. Explain, very slowly, how to handle the press, and how to properly respond to They Want to Push Grandma Over the Cliff ads.

Great point, INC. And you are correct. Without the education system, they would eventually run out of new voters. Scary stuff. And yet another topic on which I draw a major line in the sand. I home school and will continue to do so in the future.

Spark, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Once Obamacare is in full force, direct and indirect taxes will increase exponentially. Even Krugman admitted that eventually, they’ll be forced to increase taxes and that death panels will become the norm. Add to that Obama’s fetish for climate change, and we might as well emigrate out. Cos you won’t be able to bear the cost of living in the US. Its scary.

As depressing and frightening and maddening as the situation is in our country…knowing it will get worse…it can be tempting to surrender. However, all I have to do to strengthen my resolve is to look into the face of my son.

Yes, if he succeeds at major climate change legislation/decree, the effects will be very similar to OCare, IMO. The range and depth of invasion into our daily lives (and pocketbooks) would increase yet again.

4Grace on February 22, 2013 at 2:44 AM

Always on target Gracie. :)

I encourage everyone to look up the o’shite care timeline and whats coming. You think jobs,the economy and the deficit have been horrible the last 4 glorious years? Its gonna look good after this is fully implemented.
Employers with 50 plus full time employees will either have to Play or Pay. I sit and listen to the employers calculating as they will do their best to avoid one or both. Its already begun. You will see low paid populations reduced to part time and seasonal workers reduced in hours. Positions eliminated and the current work force taking on double work for nada. Employer avoids the O taxes and worker loses 40 hours. Many will have to try and acquire 2 part time jobs and then hit the exchange for HC-then we have the subsidies ect ect..magic $
Hang the degree on mama’s basement wall.

Employers with less then 50 full timers can say screw it-tired of paying for high premiums HC, endless time consuming laws, regs, and administration-go to the effing exchange. Bye bye, pre-tax deduction and section 125-bye bye employer contributions, bye bye to personal reps and face to face meetings. Get online or call a dumbas$ on the phone.

Most medicare supplemental policies and advantage plans went up this year in out of pocket expenses-enjoy seniors! Oh and that doc shortage. Here’s your list of network providers..err..I get 2 oncologists to choose from?! Oh..I can’t go to that hospital? The one that specializes in my chronic condition? Nope.

With that said..hows that gonna be an economic booster? lmao.
Thats not even discussing the care and options you will receive and the hot Govt cattle prod up your as$. They will decide..not you and not your doctor about care received or not.

A job and economy killer..perfect timing.
Couple that with climate control and we have a winner!

But everyone feels good! The planet is going to be clean, the birds will sing and people will have health coverage!

This is like calling a dangerous prisoner in solitary confinement–“a helpless unarmed man!”

Must we use the word weapons of those who seek in all they do to undermine America and our freedom?

Yes, they are without documents, but that’s merely a technicality, a deceitful deflection from the reality that they are criminals and is not a proper substitution for the criminals they are, Why? The reason is that they are illegally here, which is against the law.

They are welcomed here as illegals only because of their potential votes or cheap labor–not because of compassion, love, or, most importantly, desperate need to escape from some persecution.

They are illegals, but they won’t be called that by our political class. Must we help them out with their destructive deceit?

Couple years ago, I was driving from Jax back to Orlando-stopped at a gas station-one of those non-chains.
Filled with Zero memorabilia. Framed portraits,t-shirts,key chains,bracelets..you name it. Felt like I was in another country.
Almost hurled on the cashier.

SW, any skeletons in your closet? If you want me to organize a campaign for you, might as well spill it now. We’ll try and smoothen it out a wee bit. But if you pulled a Menendez, won’t be able to help you. Those dem oppo research guys would tear you apart. ;-)

tommy71 on February 22, 2013 at 1:41 AM

Tommy, I’m a former Rock Star, of course I have skeletons in my closet. Some of the same skeletons that GW and Obummer have in their closets. A 30 year old narcotics conviction and a 6 year old DUI. But that’s about it.